Caring For A Person With Alzheimer’s

I look into my loved one’s eyes as they glow with delight, but I watch her expression slink away as she searches my expression for what just happened.  “What was so funny?”  “Who are you?”

I try to catch these moments and present our happiness and union in the present once again.  When I succeed, it’s like we catch each other and our delight continues onward.

When I fail, sometimes she feels scared, awkward, or sad.  Eventually, the moment is resurrected from her pain because, for her, all is forgotten and I get another opportunity to create a happy moment.  At the same time, when I fail, there is no one to catch me, I cannot forget what just happened, and sometimes resurrection is just too far away.

It’s not that Donna is not capable of restarting moments herself, but it takes my cooperation, even if she does start it. Our happiness seems to be my burden and is dependent on how often I can allow us to restart.

Caregiver burnout can steal moments that are important to you.

As a Caregiver, you are responsible for more than the inflicted person and when your loved one starts to wander, it makes those other responsibilities even harder.  With Dementia, the person loses the concept of time and wandering can happen anytime, night or day.   I slept with one eye open, but still I missed times she wandered away.  Lack of sleep is a quick road to caregiver burnout.

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©JoJo 2010